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Student Internship/Work Exchange Program at Ahu Lani SanctuaryIntroduction Ahu Lani Sanctuary is a farm, forestry center, and educational retreat center located on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. "Ahu" means shrine, and "Lani" means beautiful or heavenly, so Ahu Lani means "heavenly shrine." Once you arrive, you will feel why. The earth exudes mana (power) that is palpable. Ahu Lani consists of 24 acres of land at the 3000' level of Mauna Kea. We are "at the end of the road" with only large cattle ranches above us on the mountain. We receive about 100 inches or rain per year, which is great for farming and forestry. We are totally "off the grid" and generate our own power and water. Our current passion is restoring native Hawaiian forest on 20 of our 24 acres. This involves fencing (to keep wild pigs out), clearing and otherwise preparing land for planting, raising native trees and shrubs in our greenhouses, outplanting these trees and shrubs, and then maintaining them (watering and weeding) until they take root. In 2010 we will be focusing strongly on getting the fencing, clearing, and planting done. 
Organic Garden We have an organic garden, which we use to raise food for ourselves. We also maintain bee hives and periodically harvest and bottle the honey for sale. We maintain a healthy flock of hens (no roosters!) that provide us with a regular flow of free-range eggs. 
WWOOFers Kaitlin and Carolyn Painting New Bee Boxes The facilities at Ahu Lani consist of a large ranch-style building, a 700 square foot round room, a utility building/barn, and a small cabin. The main building has 11 bedrooms, 5 baths, a large kitchen, a large living room/dining room, and a study. The round room is a sacred space utilized for yoga, meditation, dance, bodywork, etc. The barn houses our farm equipment, our photovoltaic system, and our water purification system. Our full time, on-site caretaker Dave lives in the cabin. Work exchange students will be involved in some or all of the following activities: fencing and reforestation activities, maintaining the organic garden, assisting in beekeeping, housekeeping, landscaping, animal husbandry, and maintenance. Special skills you may have, such as mechanical skills, carpentry skills, computer skills, etc, could also come in very handy. Work on the land may be demanding, so make sure you're in shape. 
Keeping the Walking Paths Open We provide rooms (single or double occupancy), hot water showers, wireless Internet for your own computer, washer/dryer, bathrooms, communal kitchen, a TV/DVD room, and a study with extensive book collection. Work exchange students are welcome to use the round room for yoga, bodywork, dance, and meditation practices. Occasional visiting teachers may have classes that you can participate in. Cell phone service is limited to those with AT&T service. Once per week we'll take all work exchange students to local markets where you can buy your food for the week (we provide a food stipend). Also, about once per week we'll take everyone to a local beach, such as Waipio or Hapuna, so you can get some Hawaii sun and work on your tan. Ahu Lani is a completely tobacco-free property. Tobacco smoking is not allowed anywhere on the land or in the buildings. Alcohol is normally allowed only for special occasions. Besides our caretaker Dave, others who might be living at Ahu Lani include people who are renting rooms from us for private retreats. Various visitors come through regularly as well, and sometimes provide free or low-cost classes in yoga, bodywork, meditation, etc. All told, Ahu Lani is a crossroads for a lot of interesting people. So you'll likely have some great conversations and experiences while at Ahu Lani. APPLICATION If you are considering a work exchange stay at Ahu Lani Sanctuary, please send an email to John Lindelow. Please include answers to the following questions, a photograph of you, and your WWOOFer member number if you have one. Write about your previous experiences, skills and a bit about your family background.
AGREEMENT We expect good communication skills and openness to improve. We provide you with the following: a bedroom (single or double occupancy); all bed linens and towels; shared bath with hot shower; wireless Internet access for your own computer (NOTE: the Ahu Lani office computer is not available for work-exchange students); washer/dryer; communal kitchen; use of TV/DVD room; and use of round room for yoga, meditation, dance, and bodywork. We provide you with a $50/week stipend for food, and we take you to market once per week. Sharing food and food preparation with other work-exchange students is encouraged. In exchange, you agree to do 30 hours of work per week doing gardening, landscaping, forestry, fencing, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, or special projects agreed upon with Dave or John. Work is to be performed Monday through Friday with Saturday and Sunday being market and beach days, respectively. You may be asked to track your hours and accomplishments in a log book. If certain work we ask you to do is unsuited to you, please let us know and we'll find something that better matches your desires and aptitudes. We often work in teams and designate work assignments at our weekly group meeting on Monday morning. If you have a special skill and you would like to contribute, we'd love to explore that with you. We provide transportation into town only on market and beach days (usually Saturday and Sunday). You may arrange for your own transportation if you like (e.g. rental car or car you buy while on Big Island). If you do buy your own car while here or borrow one, we require that the registration, safety inspection, and insurance be current and that your car be in safe operating condition. Market and beach days may sometimes be adjusted depending on weather or other exigencies. We'll let you know as things come up. From time to time we have a community dinner, organized by everyone. Once you get settled and into the groove with other work-exchange students, you'll likely end up cooking and shopping together, which can be very fulfilling. Your purchased food can be supplemented by whatever our organic garden and orchard produce. You can also have your own garden patch and grow your greens yourself. We have one house phone line that is available to work-exchange students for emergencies only. The phone number is 808-775-1663, and you may give that number to your friends or family for emergency contact. We encourage you to bring a cell phone with AT&T service if keeping in touch by phone is important to you. What to bring beside your normal clothing: rubber boots or shoes you can work in when it rains, rain gear, small umbrella, gardening clothes, water bottle, flash light, personal supplements/medicine, and perhaps your favorite pillow. To receive snail mail: Your name c/o Dave De Esch PO Box 1428 Honokaa, HI 96727 To receive packages via UPS or FedEx: Your name c/o Dave De Esch 44-5350 Waikaalulu Road Honokaa, HI 96727 NOTE: These addresses are for personal mail only. You may not use these addresses to open a bank account, credit cards, cell phone, auto registration or other official matters. You must open your own PO Box for these purposes. We will stop by the Post Office on market days, usually Saturdays, and mail may be picked up at other times during the week depending on if we need to go to town. Living Off the Grid: Since we are completely off the grid, we must carefully watch and monitor our use of energy and water. Turning off all lights that are not needed, and taking short showers are good practices and are greatly encouraged. Visitors: If you have friends or family who would like to visit you during your stay, please inquire with Dave or John. Your family and friends may be able to rent a room at Ahu Lani if one is available. Please note that all visitors must be non-smoking for the entire duration of their stay. Ahu Lani is a completely non-smoking property. We look forward to meeting you and spending time working together! I am ending a month stay at Ahu Lani on the Big Island and before I go I want to put out the good word! Ahu Lani is a farm, forest sanctuary, education retreat center, and ready for hard working wwoofers. I spent the past month here as their first and only wwoofer. In that time I fell in love with the land, the people, and the mission. Now I am permanently invested in the future of this place. Ahu Lani has much to offer wwoofers. The work here is meaningful. Some days I planted koa trees to reforest agricultural land and other days I harvested carrots from the garden to cook for dinner or share with the neighbors. The people are welcoming. Dave, the caretaker, has a wealth of knowledge and an open heart. He helped make everyday here special for me and purposeful for Ahu Lani. The neighbors and the community took me into their homes for special occasion dinners, out for hikes, or around their garden just for a tour. The facilities are splendid. I had full use of a their beautiful yoga room every day. I had a private bedroom and use of an incredible kitchen and living room space. If you are looking for a peaceful retreat, meaningful work, the opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian land, and a chance to meet people that will inspire you come to Ahu Lani. I most highly recommend it. I looked to WWOOF at a time in my life when I needed a shift from the mundane. In this quest I came upon Ahu Lani. In retrospect, I should say that Ahu Lani found me. The energy within the land here is inexplicable. It is calming yet invigorating, wild yet tamable, and a teacher to us all. Ahu Lani has so many experiences to offer, from planting Koa trees, to gardening organic produce, to working with bees. No matter the task, you really do feel an energetic connection between the land and the work you are doing. It is a good place for individuals who are motivated and creative, as there are continuously many projects in motion that all need fresh input and attention. Because Ahu Lani is located some distance from town, it is also a good space for those seeking solitude. The accommodations are wonderful and Dave, the Caretaker, works hard to sustain a healthy and happy community amongst its members by encouraging everyone to be mindful, communicative and open. He is also a good teacher, and inspires you to incorporate learning into all aspects of your day, even if the learning is simply taking a moment to, literally, stop and smell the flowers. All of the people at Ahu Lani make you feel that you are truly part of their larger picture and that the work you are doing is contributing to a greater cause. In their unwavering dedication to building community through working with the land, the Ahu Lani family has bestowed upon me an everlasting connection with this wonderful place. I look forward to coming back years from now to see how my small contributions have developed. The experience has been a bountiful gift, a magical interlude, and has given my heart a fragment of eternity. Mahalo nui loa!! |
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